Capital: Ouagadougou
Time zone: GMT
Telephone services: Country Code: 226
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: Unavailable
Tourist information: Direction de l’Administration Touristique et Hôtelière, BP 624, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso Tel: 306 396
Passport information: A valid passport is required by all. Return Ticket Required.
Visa information: Visa required by all.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Take precautions as Falciparum variety present.
Yellow Fever: R. with vaccination certificate if arriving from an infected area. OTHER: Bilharzia, Rabies, Cholera, River Blindness and Sleeping Sickness.
Other Health Risks: A meningitis epidemic has affected West Africa – seek medical advice before travelling.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: CFA Franc (CFA Fr).
Visa and MasterCard have limited acceptance. Travellers cheques are accepted on a limited basis. French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.
Cost of living: Burkina Faso is the sixth poorest country in the world
Languages: French with several indigenous languages.
Weather: Tropical climate. Dec – Mar are the best months. rainy season = Jun – Oct. Winds blow Nov- Feb which brings cool and dry weather.
Electricity: 220/380 volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs = 2 pin.
Post: Up to 2 weeks by airmail. There are few post offices. Poste Restante is available with a mail- charge for collection of letters.
Transport: ROAD: Most are impassable during the raining season. Police check points often cause delay. FLIGHTS: there are few domestic flights. DOCUMENTATION: Temporary driving licences are available from local authorities if you present a valid national driving license.
Special information: Most visits to Burkina Faso are trouble free, but criminal incidents do occur and care should be taken, particularly after dark. Customs should be respected especially in traditional rural areas. Clothing can be casual and should be appropriate for the hot weather.